The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a bundle of optical fibre parts, in which each time a number of optical fibre parts are arranged parallel to each other in the form of a ribbon and a number of such ribbons are stacked with the interposition of at least one first strip-shaped spacer between each two successive ribbons.
Such a method is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,043,910. According to the known method, first a number of optical fibres are joined together to form a ribbon, for example by fusing the fibres together. Subsequently, the ribbons are stacked with the interposition of strip-shaped spacers. The number of stacked ribbons and the thickness of the spacers are chosen so that the thickness of the bundle formed corresponds to a first predetermined dimension. The width of the bundle is equal to the width of the ribbons, which is determined by the number and the diameter of the fibres from which these ribbons are formed. In general, this width is smaller than a desired value. Therefore, the bundle is sawn obliquely so that the width of the saw surface is equal to the desired width. Special steps are then required to ensure that the light emanates approximately at right angles to the saw surface. A second disadvantage of the known method is that the relative distance of the centres of the optical fibres in each of the ribbons depends upon the diameter of the individual fibres. If this diameter differs from fibre to fibre, the location of the fibres in the bundle can exhibit irregularities, which in many cases is not admissible. In order to avoid such irregularities, it is necessary to use optical fibres having an accurately determined outer diameter, preferably fibres made of glass. Such fibres are expensive and since a bundle generally comprises a large number of fibres, the cost price of the bundles manufactured by means of the known method in many cases is very objectionable.